The Wee Free Men by Terry Pratchett

"I can teach you a lesson you won't forget in a hurry"

Another gem courtesy of my amazing bookfinder and general literary wunderkind, Nicki. This is a delight from cover to cover. Cute little Scottish sounding tiny men that love to cause a ruckus, combine with a feisty farm girl who's had about enough of her baby brother - what's not to like?

The world will never be the same without Terry Pratchett. Lucky for me I have quite a number of volumes to get through before I can mark all his work on my read list.


5 out of 5 wee little fellas are a chuckle.

The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher by Hilary Mantel

"It was all very different from my previous fiction."

Having no idea about the content of this book before opening its pages other than a familiarity with Mantel's Wolf Hall , award winning historical fiction, I was intrigued to find it contained a strange mix of contemporary short stories.

The perplexing title stems from the final story, which, while not my favourite, delivered a dark and interesting tale. One of the tales that I found particularly harrowing (and brilliant nonetheless) was The Heart Fails Without Warning which brings the horror of anorexia to the fore. I also particularly enjoyed Harley Street, particularly in its descriptions of the sterility of working in a doctor's surgery (mind you I have no direct experience of this).

At its best the book recalls Roald Dahl's dark humour and for me, that's where it succeeds. Some of the stories failed to resonate with me, perhaps they deserve a second look - it had been a long week.

4 out of 5 kids will do anything for a puppy.

Lioness Rampant by Tamora Pierce

"You can't do anything from a grave, Liam"

The final instalment of the Song of the Lioness  series is a fitting finale. Alanna gets a new and temporary love interest who also manages to impart some new fighting skills. Her quest for a mysterious gem proves to be an action packed one. An old enemy is back thanks to her meddling brother. All this and more drama jam packed into a measly 300 or so pages.

Will Alanna find a man who lets her be the warrior woman she is? Will her homeland be saved? I'm not about to tell you, you will have to have a read for yourself. I just wish there was more. I am reassured that there are plenty of other Tamora Pierce stories for me to explore.

5 out of 5 lionesses run rampant.

The woman who rides like a man by Tamora Pierce

"It does not hurt men to know women have power, too"

I was a little late to the party I admit and it has taken to book 3 for me to fully embrace the awesomeness that is Lady Alanna and the Song of the Lioness Quartet.  It is a little like only really appreciating Game of Thrones  in Season 6 - not that I'm guilty of that. Written for youngsters as they may be these tales of magic and quests are strangely adult and more real than some of the fiction I've read based in the supposedly real world.

Alanna represents the struggle that it is to be female in a man's world. To have to deny one's femininity in order to compete and yet to constantly query what that means to your sense of self and your romantic relationships. She is bold, brave and amazing and even her love affairs bring a sense of joy and freedom and the chance of freedom lost.

If that all sounds a little hard going for 228 pages of a story with a slightly dodgy title, fear not. Looks can be deceiving and this is amazing.

Already cracked on to the last book. Nicki thankfully lent me both in tandem, - nice one lady!
It is great to have a friendly book lender with fantastic taste,


5 out of 5 magic swords can be troubling.

The St. Tropez Lonely Heart's Club by Joan Collins

"Think of an Italian Brad Pitt crossed with the brooding Latin sex appeal of a Benicio del Toro and that's me"

Just the perfect antidote to the first onset of winter cold in Sydney. A glitzy, glam sojourn into the high camp, mad cap world of St Tropez. A killer is on the loose to boot!

Will rampant sex god Fabrizio be forced to marry the ultra wealthy lush Lara to pay for his youthful discretions? Will the gorgeous Carlotta overcome the horrors of her first marriage to find love by the sea? Will the carefree model lesbian couple survive the season?

There will be scandals, unfortunate waxing, funicular traumas and just one big delightful romp that is so removed from the everyday. I loved it. War and Peace, it isn't. Don't let that put you off, this is a whole lot of fun. Enjoyed best over cocktails.

5 out of 5 for a perfect, quick getaway into the sun.

The Wimbledon Poisoner by Nigel Williams

"Henry could honestly have said, as he and Roger From the Practice made a body count, that he had not wanted any of this to happen."

This is a hoot. Seriously, I can't recommend it enough. It is a delightfully wicked, black comedy about a man who is really over living with his wife. His plans to do away with her make of some entertaining reading. The daily malaise of suburban life gets turned upside down by the exploits of the Wimbledon Poisoner. Has the ghost of a past murderer taken possession of a modern day executioner? Will the body count raise the ire of the local constabulary? Should you worry if your usually inattentive spouse has made you some fancy, organic chicken with secret herbs and spices out of the blue?

Don't ask me, grab yourself a copy. I had to sneak this one in to work to read on my lunch break, I just couldn't abide leaving it unfinished. Henry Farr is kind of a suburban, middle class Patrick Bateman who finds his desire to be rid of his wife and interest in dangerous substances might impact the entire neighbourhood.I can definitely see why this novel was included on the Guardian's 1000 novels everyone must read and concur with this selection.

Apparently this is the first novel in a series of three - I'm keen to explore the others now.

5 ou 

The Constant Gardener by John Le Carre

"He wondered whether there was some ancient piece of superstition about what happened to aspiring adulterers when they gazed on the dead bodies of the women they had coveted."

Life has been chaotic and frenetic of late and reading the gruesome occurences of this Le  Carré novel somehow made my troubles seem a little less significant. Certainly lack of sleep, dramas with the non-boyfriend and work deadlines really don't compare with the trials and tribulations of traumatised protagonists who rail against evil pharmaceutical companies, and deal with the torture and murder that coat the pages of this paperback.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortuitously since I've been so distracted of late, this was one of those strange instances where I had seen the movie before reading the book. That did somewhat spoil the thriller aspects of it. As always, Le  Carré weaves an oppressive environment that makes your hairs stand on end.

4 out of 5 times no one needs a green thumb.